BLUE MOON DALLAS "BMD"https://bluemoondallas.wordpress.com
"Support a real football club"Thu, 07 Dec 2017 07:24:52 +0000enhourly1http://wordpress.com/https://s2.wp.com/i/buttonw-com.pngBLUE MOON DALLAS "BMD"https://bluemoondallas.wordpress.com
A Citizen Abroad ; City are looking at a huge Home Grown problemhttps://bluemoondallas.wordpress.com/2015/06/05/a-citizen-abroad-city-are-looking-at-a-huge-home-grown-problem/
https://bluemoondallas.wordpress.com/2015/06/05/a-citizen-abroad-city-are-looking-at-a-huge-home-grown-problem/#respondFri, 05 Jun 2015 15:48:22 +0000http://bluemoondallas.wordpress.com/?p=563Continue reading →]]>With the mass exodus of home grown players this week, and Manchester City’s failure to sign any home grown players that have panned out in the last few years, the club find themselves in a very dangerous position.

Before we dive too far into the Citizen’s squad and who is or isn’t home grown, I think it is vital that we all understand what exactly qualifies a player to be home grown under FA and UEFA rules. So to start, we’ll do a primer on the squad rules for the Premier League and the Champions. Get your note pads out kids.

First, the Premier League.

Each team can only register 25 players over the age of 21.

No more than 17 of those players can be non-HG. So basically you need at least 8 HG players to carry a full 25 of over-21’s.

A HG player, as defined by the Premier League is, “a player who, irrespective of his nationality or age, has been registered with any club affiliated to the Football Association or Welsh Football Association for a period, continuous or not, of three entire seasons or 36 months prior to his 21st birthday (or the end of the season during which he turns 21).”

Under 21 players do not have to be registered, as they do not count against the 25 player roster.

For the Champions League, the rules are essentially the same. The only difference is that the age range that a player has to be trained in country is 15 – 21.

Three first team players remain at the club that count as Home Grown under these rules. Those players are: Joe Hart, Richard Wright, and Gael Clichy. It is worth noting that Richard Wright has not made a first team appearance in the 3 years that he has been at Manchester City. Wright is essentially there only to meet the quota, which is a spot wasted in my opinion. It is necessary, but it says a lot about our recent transfer policy.

City already have 17 non-HG players at the club. This means that City will either have to buy/promote 5 HG players this summer, or name a reduced squad come next season. Luckily, there will be a few players returning from loan that could be promoted to fill these HG spots, but not enough to fill every spot.

Players returning from loan this summer include:

Karim Rekik, 20 (Home Grown)

Marcos Lopes, 19 (Home Grown)

Seko Fofana, 20 (Not HG yet)

Jason Denayer, 19 (Not HG yet)

Bruno Zuculini, 22 (Not HG)

Just because some of these players are not HG does not mean that we can’t use them. In order for Zuculini to play, however, someone would have to be sold to open up a spot. In the case of Fofana or Denayer, they would not need to be registered because they are under 21. Personally, I think both Fofana and Denayer will be loaned out for one more season so that they can get meaningful minutes in a top league.

So, hypothetically, let’s say that Rekik and Lopes stay at the club and are registered as part of the 25 man squad. We will still need 3 more HG players to either be purchased or promoted from the Elite Development Squad. Because I’m sick in the head, I have compiled a list of players that would all qualify as Home Grown that I believe are realistic targets, and one dream target. The list is in no particular order, and the majority are not backed by any rumors. Every player on the list does fill a need that I currently see at the club.

Player Name, Position, Age

Current Club

Raheem Sterling, Wing/Attacking Mid, 20

Liverpool

Ross Barkley, CM/Attacking Mid, 21

Everton

Will Hughes, CM, 20

Derby County

John Stones, CB, 21

Everton

Nathaniel Clyne, RB, 24

Southampton

Kieran Trippier, RB, 24

Burnley

Charlie Austin, ST, 25

QPR

Fabian Delph, CM, 25

Aston Villa

Jack Grealish, Winger, 19

Aston Villa

James Ward-Prowse, CM, 20

Southampton

James McCarthy, CDM, 24

Everton

Danny Rose, LB, 24

Tottenham

Eric Dier, CB/sometime RB, 21

Tottenham

Aaron Cresswell, LB, 25

West Ham

Gareth Bale, Winger, 25

Real Madrid (This is the farfetched one)

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Winger, 21

Arsenal

Theo Walcott, Winger/ST, 26

Arsenal

Andrew Robertson, LB, 21

Hull

No matter how you look at it, City have their work cut out for them this summer. I believe that Txiki, Vieira, and Pellegrini have spent plenty of time mulling things over. I just wonder who Txiki will be buying for, Pellegrini or his successor. This summer will be fascinating, and pivotal for the future of our club. Grab a pint, put your scarf on, and let’s see what the club have in store for us.

Please share and comment what you think about the post or what you think City should do.

Until next time Blues…

Joey McCune

A Citizen Abroad

]]>https://bluemoondallas.wordpress.com/2015/06/05/a-citizen-abroad-city-are-looking-at-a-huge-home-grown-problem/feed/0bluemoondallasberigA Citizen Abroad : What does City do if James Milner leaves?https://bluemoondallas.wordpress.com/2015/02/06/a-citizen-abroad-what-does-city-do-if-james-milner-leaves/
https://bluemoondallas.wordpress.com/2015/02/06/a-citizen-abroad-what-does-city-do-if-james-milner-leaves/#respondFri, 06 Feb 2015 22:00:17 +0000http://bluemoondallas.wordpress.com/?p=556Continue reading →]]>If James Milner leaves, City are losing more than just the most versatile player in the Premier League.

For months we have all been reading about the stalled contract negotiations between the Blues and James Milner. For some, a certain fear is starting to creep in. What do we do if he leaves?

Milner leaving creates a number of problems for the club. The most obvious being that the Champions would be losing arguable the most consistent and versatile players in the league. This, however, is just the tip of the iceberg.

If City’s number 7 decides to take his talents to Scouse Beach, or wherever else, it will leave the club with three less home grown players than it started this season with. James Milner, Frank Lampard, and presumably Scott Sinclair will all be out the door.

As we know all too well, there are certain roster requirements in regards to home grown players for the Premier League and Champions League. Should these three players leave, we would be left with only four members of the current squad that qualify as home grown. Dedryck Boyata, Gael Clichy, Joe Hart, and Richard Wright. This puts the club in a situation that it has never before been in. Add in the inflated prices of English players and the ever watching eyes of Platini and his friends at UEFA, and you can see how this summer could become vital for our club.

Before getting into what we can do, we need to lay down the rules. For the Premier League and Champions League, we must have a 25 man squad list (U-21s do not need to be registered), 8 of which must be classified as home grown. In order to be classified as home grown, a player must have to be English or to have trained at any English club(s) for at least 3 years between the ages of 15 and 21.

The easiest way to cover two of those spots is to retain two of our currently loaned out players, next season. I think that City should keep Marcos Lopes (currently at Lille) and Karim Rekik (currently at PSV) at the club next season. With Demichelis coming to the end of his career and our creative players often picking up injuries, these two players could fill in without missing a beat.

The next step is to pick up a quality veteran player, who is classified as home grown, and that can still do a job for the club. The first name that pops to mind is Aaron Lennon. The winger just joined Everton on loan from Spurs, and I believe still has a few tricks up his sleeve. Also, Lennon’s contract with Tottenham is up at the end of June. This means that City could potentially get the player on a free. How’s that for good business, Txiki and Ferran?

We now come to the most difficult acquisition. The final spot will require us to splash a bit of cash. I have narrowed my list down to four options that classify as home grown, and could provide quality for City for a number of years to come.

At the top of my list is Nathaniel Clyne. The right back from Southampton has showed flashes of brilliance over the past two seasons, and has been called into Roy Hodgson’s national team. Should he join City, he would be able to learn from the best in business in Pablo Zabaleta, and would eventually be able to take over the job once Zaba had lost a few steps. Fabian Delph of Aston Villa is next on the list. Delph provides the work rate of Milner in the middle of the park that we sometimes lack. Third would be James McCarthy of Everton is a great deep lying playmaker, and could grow into one of the best around at City. The Irishman has great vision and a great range of passing, and would be able to learn from some wonderful players in Manchester. Lastly, we have James Ward-Prowse. The young Southampton midfielder has really made a name for himself this season and looks to have all the tools to make him a very good Premier League and England midfielder.

As you can see, there are options out there. The issue is whether or not we can get our top targets without having to pay over the odds. If James Milner decides to move on, the effect on our summer plans will be extraordinary.

West Ham have earned only 1 point in their last 6 Premier League meetings with Manchester City

Manchester City beat West Ham 4 times last year (twice in the Premier League, twice in the League Cup)

West Ham have 4 wins this season, a number they didn’t reach until January of last season

City are unbeaten in their last 5 Premier League matches, the second longest streak in the league

Sergio Aguero’s 9 goals in the opening 8 matches has never been bettered in Premier League history. He has 4 away goals already this season, Aguero has never scored more than 7 on the road in a season

Diafra Sakho is only the second player in Premier League history to score in each of his first 5 starts

West Ham have only allowed 7 clear chances on goal this season

Manchester City Injuries

Samir Nasri (surgery) – Out

Frank Lampard (hamstring) – Out

West Ham Injuries

Mauro Zarate (knock) – Questionable

James Tomkins (hip/thigh) – Questionable

Guy Demel (hip/thigh) – Questionable

Cheikhou Kouyate (groin) – Questionable

Andy Carroll (ankle/foot) – Out

Possible Line-up for God’s Own team

Our Blues will be looking to rebound after a sub-optimal match against CSKA Moscow on Tuesday. The Hammers will be looking pick up at least a point and move themselves up the table as they try to avoid the drop zone this season. A City win would be a huge boost for the club as it would begin to inch the boys closer to league leaders Chelsea. Last year City battered West Ham 4 times, and there’s no reason why they can’t do it again! So set multiple alarms, put on your kit, and get up to the pub! Get ready to sing loud BMD, because the sound of Fat Sam’s lips smacking together could drown out a jet engine! We can’t wait to see you up at the Heart of the City and cheer on THE CHAMPIONS!!

The last 6 matches between the two clubs have produced 30 goals; City have scored 22 of the 30

Dzeko has scored 6 in 6 against Tottenham, Aguero has scored 5 in 5

Manchester City have gone 2 home matches without a win (L1, D1)

Tottenham have won just 3 out of their last 11 away matches in the Premier League

City will be without Fernandinho (hamstring) , Mangala (gingivitis) and Samir Nasri (groin surgery)

Spurs will be without Kyle Walker (surgery) and Kyle Naughton (ankle); they will also have Nacer Chadli (hip/thigh) and Hugo Lloris (groin) facing late fitness tests

Probable Line-Up for THE CHAMPIONS

This match is crucial for both clubs coming off an international break. Our Blues will be looking to right some of the recent wrongs at home, and to continue their recent dominance of the north London club. Spurs will be looking pick up at least a point and move themselves into the top 4. A City win would be a huge boost for the club as it would inch the boys closer to league leaders Chelsea. This fixture has rarely been boring over the past 3 years, and surely will be one that you will want to catch live! So set 5 alarms, put on your kit, and get up to the pub! We can’t wait to see you up at the Heart of the City and cheer on the Pride of Manchester!!

Most of the injured players for Roma are defensive players, which could mean that City could run riot on an aging back line.

This match is sure to be full of excitement with two very attacking clubs going at it. If City win, it will put them in 1st place in the group headed into their matchup with CSKA Moscow. If you can get off work, we’d love to see you up at the Heart of the City and cheer on Manchester City!!

After purchasing Manchester born Danny Welbeck from Manchester United on Deadline Day, do Arsenal finally have a striker that will fit into their very technical system? Also, can Danny Welbeck prove his former club wrong and become a top striker?

Can Joe Hart prove his detractors wrong and get a firm grip on the number 1 shirt at Manchester City? While his failure to stop a goal against Stoke was not the sole reason for the loss, many people are already calling for new boy Willy Caballero.

Can Manchester City avenge their Community Shield loss to Arsenal? The Blues were beaten 3-0 at Wembley the weekend before the season started, and will be eager to right their previous wrong.

How will Manchester City kick off their “Hell Week?” Arsenal away on Saturday, followed by a trip to Munich on Wednesday, and wrapped up with a home game against Chelsea. A rough week for any club, surely. Will our boys be up for the hardest test of the season?

Set a few alarms, put on your sky blue, bring a friend, and get up the pub for what is sure to be a fantastic match! Can’t wait to see you all there as our boys take on the hipsters Gooners!!

Minister of Propaganda

Joey McCune

]]>https://bluemoondallas.wordpress.com/2014/09/12/arsenal-away-pre-match-rundown/feed/0bluemoondallaslink-sopcast-arsenal-vs-man-city-1A Citizen Abroad : Newcastle Away Reviewhttps://bluemoondallas.wordpress.com/2014/08/18/a-citizen-abroad-newcastle-away-review/
https://bluemoondallas.wordpress.com/2014/08/18/a-citizen-abroad-newcastle-away-review/#respondMon, 18 Aug 2014 16:37:29 +0000http://bluemoondallas.wordpress.com/?p=420Continue reading →]]>The Champions started the season off on the right foot with a 2-0 win away to Newcastle. While not the crispest performance you’ll ever see, the signs are there that our Blues are ready to make another run at the title.

Manuel Pellegrini set the team out in the same 4-4-2 (4-2-2-2 if you want to be picky) that he used for most of last season, and for the most part it looked just as good as last year. In attack it is very free flowing, with plenty of interchanging and overlap. While in defense there are two very rigid banks of four, and usually one striker tracking back to help out as well. My only two gripes with this system come down to squad selection, and how we use some of our players.

David Silva and Samir Nasri are two brilliant attacking players. No one would argue that. But, when you play them both the pitch becomes very narrow when we have possession. Defensively it is great to be compact, but when we have the ball, we need to be able to spread the opposition out. Silva and Nasri both tend to drift centrally to create for the strikers. When both of them drift towards the middle, and Yaya pushes up, and Jovetic drops back everything becomes extremely congested, and therefor easier to defend. This leads to our fullbacks being the only source of width in attack. This in turn leaves us susceptible to the counter attack. Don’t get me wrong, I love when fullbacks start bombing down the wing, but I’m not a fan of them being our only source of width.

Secondly, and this is more personal preference than anything else, I believe that Fernando could be one of the best players in the Premier League if we didn’t give him a partner in front of the back four. Fernando will cover every blade of grass from sideline to sideline whether he has a partner or not, he did this for years at Porto and that’s why we’ve bought him. So I suggest that we let him do just that. He clearly loves defending and breaking up play and going in for a tackle. His partner, Yaya, is not always so willing to get back in a hurry and defend. Eliminate this problem by playing Yaya ahead of Fernando. I know that I’m creating the congestion up the field again, but if Pellegrini is dead set on two strikers then I see this as a solution. 4-1-3-2. Fernando behind Yaya, Silva, and Nasri, who are behind two strikers. Even if our fullbacks go forward, we still have two center backs and Fernando waiting for the counter attack. But that’s just me thinking out loud.

Now that I’ve talked about the nerdy bits of football, let’s get down to how our boys actually performed today. I think all around we have to be very pleased by the squad. We looked much sharper than some of the other potential title contenders did this weekend, and that can only be a good thing. So now, let’s have a quick look at how we played today.

Joe Hart may not have had a whole lot to do, but when he was asked to do his job he performed well. Since it is early in the season, normally I would expect Joe to make a few mistakes, but this year is different. Joe has a genuine competitor for his spot for the first time since Shay Given was still at the club. You’ll remember that the last year Shay was around Joe was on fire. The competition created by Willy Caballero joining the club will only help Joe Hart perform better in goal than he has in the past few years.

In defense I think that we looked very solid today. The Kompany-Demichelis pairing looks to have picked up right where it left off last year. The two big men at the back kept everything organized and looked to very close to the best. Happy days. On the left, in my opinion, Aleks Kolarov looked magnificent. Under Pellegrini he has blossomed into one of the best left backs in the league, and his confidence seems to grow with every match. On the right…..here’s where people may disagree with me. I genuinely like Gael Clichy as a member of our back four. But I would never stick him on the right. He still gets forward well, but he’s only got one foot. So once he’s made it to the by-line he has to cut back to his left, or pass the ball. I thought defensively today he looked alright, but he definitely doesn’t seem comfortable having to defend to his right. Once our right backs are fit, I look forward to the rotation of Kolarov and Clichy on the left.

Fernando. What can you say about our new boy that hasn’t been said already? The man is an absolute rock in the middle of the park, and he never seems to tire. He has the brains of Gareth Barry, the engine of James Milner, and the tenacity of Nigel De Jong. I’m not sure you could ask for more from a defensive midfielder. His partner today was Yaya Toure, who definitely was not at 100%, but you could still see flashes of his brilliance. A few more matches and our Ivorian freight train will be back on the tracks. David Silva looked, if I may borrow from my idol Ray Hudson, MAGISTERIAL today. The little Spanish wizard popped up all over the pitch, and always seemed to find space. His goal was calmly taken, and hopefully we can get even more from Spanish Dave this season. You’d be hard pressed to find many better creators in the world game than David Silva. Samir Nasri, who I’ve not always been the kindest to, has really impressed me in the past 9 months. Today he showed a desire to get back and win the ball that I’d never seen from him before. Also, it looks as though he spent his summer in the gym when he wasn’t laying poolside with his smoking hot girlfriend because he is noticeably stronger and playing a much more physical style than I’d seen him do in the past. I’m expecting very big things from our midfield this year, and suspect that most clean sheets will come from the hard work of the men in the middle of the park.

Up front big Ed looked fantastic. While his first touch may not be as silky as some of his smaller teammates, the big man worked very hard today to hold up play and to track back. If we are lucky, we will see the classic number 9 that we bought from Wolfsburg a few years back. Pellegrini seems to have lit a fire in him this offseason, and with Negredo being injured, I suspect we will see the Bosnian Diamond doing his best to show that he deserves to be the number one big man in the squad. I would be remiss to not mention his assist for David Silva’s goal. Dzeko brought down a long pass from Yaya Toure and then, with telepathic accuracy, back heeled the ball into the path of Merlin who slotted it home. Brilliant stuff from the big man. His striker partner, Stevan Jovetic, has been absolutely lethal in preseason. Something about being in the US really woke up the Montenegrin, and he was scoring goals for fun. Today we saw a player who didn’t seem to understand what his role was, or what type of player he wanted to be. This is something that has been consistent throughout his career. Stevan Jovetic is not a classic striker, but he also isn’t a classic number 10. The problem is, he knows this. Stevan spends a lot of time trying to create chances, but no one is sure if he’s creating for himself or a teammate. It may sound as though I’m being negative about the player, but I can promise you that I am one of his biggest fans. Stevan, it seems, is trying so hard to prove that he belongs in the squad that he tends to overcook things. If he could calm down a bit, and know when to play simple and when to put on a show, I think that we would see his true quality. If he can figure out who he is, and what type of player he is going to be, Stevan Jovetic will be a world class player. But this, sadly, is a huge if. Jovetic was replaced by Kun Aguero late in the match, and the little Argentine did what he does best. Score. While we just got a small glimpse of the former Atletico man, there were some interesting points. First of all, Aguero looks like he’s been taking very good care of himself since the World Cup. His work ethic on the pitch seems to be very high as usual, and I expect to see him play with a bit of a chip on his shoulder this year. He’s just as sick as we are of seeing him go down injured every few matches. He has stated multiple times that he has started a new fitness regimen, and for his sake (and ours) I hope it works. A healthy Sergio Aguero, who plays 35-40 matches in all competitions, is easily capable of scoring 30 goals for us this season.

There are many things to be happy about if you’re a Blue these days. I think the most important thing for us today was our team spirit and belief. You didn’t see players having a go at each other. When mistakes were made, one player owned up to it, and everyone got on with the match. The players are happy and they want to work. The gaffer has got the players to work harder than they ever have, and they do it with a smile on their face. We are seeing the start of something very special my friends. Will there be ups and downs? Of course, this is Manchester City we’re talking about. But you can feel that something is happening. There is a sky blue storm brewing at Carrington, and we are all at the heart of that storm as it makes its way across the country, and the continent. Strap in blues, we’re in for one hell of a ride.

Until next time…

The Citizen Abroad

Joey McCune

]]>https://bluemoondallas.wordpress.com/2014/08/18/a-citizen-abroad-newcastle-away-review/feed/0bluemoondallas445812_heroaA Citizen Abroad : 2014/15 Season Previewhttps://bluemoondallas.wordpress.com/2014/08/13/a-citizen-abroad-201415-season-preview/
https://bluemoondallas.wordpress.com/2014/08/13/a-citizen-abroad-201415-season-preview/#respondWed, 13 Aug 2014 22:10:42 +0000http://bluemoondallas.wordpress.com/?p=417Continue reading →]]>After a very long hiatus, I am back to talk to everyone about the upcoming season for the CHAMPIONS, Manchester City! So, let’s get into this thing. As opposed to some long winded post (like I normally do), I will attempt to streamline this one, and just give you the meat and potatoes.

Who’s new? Who’s gone?

Players IN

Players OUT

Willy Caballero

GK

Malaga

Gareth Barry

CDM

Everton

Eliaquim Mangala

CB

Porto

Joleon Lescott

CB

West Brom

Fernando

CDM

Porto

Costel Pantilimon

GK

Sunderland

Bruno Zuculini

CM

Racing

Karim Rekik

CB

Loan to PSV

Bacary Sagna

RB

Arsenal

Emyr Huws

CM

Loan to Wigan

Frank Lampard

CM

Loan from New York City

Marcos Lopes

CAM

Loan to Lille

Who could challenge us for the title?

Chelsea

With Jose Mourinho entering his second season back at the club, he has been able to open the war chest and bring in some quality players. I don’t expect them to change their style drastically, so expect plenty of bus parking, but I do think that they will be much faster on the counter and will try to catch teams out on the break. Mourinho has brought in Cesc Fabregas, Diego Costa, and allowed Thibaut Courtois to stay at the club. This means that in midfield they are very deep, and in defense/goal they will have plenty of experience and talent to shut down most clubs in the Premier League. I fully expect them to pick up plenty of points by winning matches 1-0 and having less than 50% possession. I don’t see them dropping many points this season, unless they get hit by an injury bug or Mourinho makes too many people mad.

Liverpool

Brendan Rodgers has sold racistcannibal striker Luiz Suarez, and has spent the money from that transfer to try and strengthen his squad so that they can compete on four fronts. The Scousers are coming off one of the better seasons in the club’s recent history, but this season they will have to cope with being back in the Champions League. While they have bought half of Southampton, along with some other players, two questions still remain. Can Liverpool succeed without Suarez? And, can Liverpool compete on four fronts? We know that they will still play a very attacking style of football, but should a few players get injured, I’m not so sure that style will be as potent. This season should tell us whether or not the bin dippers are back.

Arsenal

I guess Arsene Wenger has finally decided that if you can’t beat them, join them, because he has finally decided to spend some money. I don’t know for sure, but I suspect he’s been told that if they don’t win a major trophy, he may be on the way out. He has added some players in defense and Alexis Sanchez from Barcelona. What Arsenal lacks in the defensive depth, they more than make up for in quick, creative, attacking players. As always, we have to ask if Arsenal can keep the pedal down for the entire season. The last few years we have seen them start like a house on fire, but fall off towards the end of the season. Some of this is down to injuries to key players, the rest seems to be down to the players forgetting how to defend. If they can stay healthy, and they can be consistent from August to May, I think Arsenal could definitely be around come the end of the season.

What should be considered a successful season for City?

For me, I think that we need to win at least one domestic trophy (preferably the Premier League), and a quarter or semi-final run in the Champions League. While I do believe that we will be competing for the Champions League trophy soon, I don’t think it’ll be this year. Not that I don’t think our squad isn’t strong enough, I just have a feeling about it I guess.

Thanks for reading, and I can’t wait to bring you more (hopefully somewhat decent) content this season!!

Hi all! I’m Liz, born and bred in Dallas. My parents are from Peru so I was practically raised with a soccer ball at my feet-it’s in my blood. I’m a pediatric occupational therapist which can be stressful, so I look forward to letting loose every weekend-though City can be a different kind of stress! I’ve even converted my brother, Marcus, and we’ve become even more close through our love of City. PS-We’re working on our other brother, and the big fish-our dad!

-Everyone has a personal reason why they choose to join up with an organization. Why did you choose to join BMD?

I grew up going to the old Dallas Tornado games and made it to one in Lima, Peru-ultras made it scary yet thrilling. BMD is about as close as I can get to that kind of game experience until I get to one. I’m just glad everybody is so active and loud. I’ve never been a cheerleader type, but you can’t help but lose your voice and I love it.

-What is your experience with Manchester City that made you fall in love with the club?

No. 1 has to be the fans, esp the life long fans that have followed City through it all and the Manc humor that I’m still getting used to-those chants! Then you see what Sheikh Mansour is doing in Manchester and how can you not be proud? Ofc, there’s the never say die, keep-you-on-the-edge-of-your-seat players and manager.

-If you had to pick just one player to call your favorite, who would it be and why?

David Silva. Muy hermoso…oh yeah and he’s great player!

-Best ever City goal?

Yaya’s for the FA win…Kompany’s header vs Rags…technically? I’ll be biased and say Silva’s 1st PL goal for City vs Blackpool. It had jinking and passed 3 players.

-Have you seen City play in person?

This SUMMER i will!!!

-As a member of BMD, how has your experience been so far?

Wonderful. It’s such an open, friendly group. My family is impressed I actually wake up early on a weekend morning, and it’s worth it.

-Blue Moon Dallas watches matches at The Londoner Frisco. What are your thoughts on the pub?

I’ve always liked The Londoner. Great beer, good atmosphere.

-Most memorable game or moment with BMD?

Has to be the conga line vs Rags at the Addison Londoner. Even though we lost and I didn’t join in, that’s when I knew I had found truly passionate and proud fans. I was hooked.

-Last question. Where were you when Aguero scored?

LOL, I had left Marcus and my dad to go home to rant and rave alone. When Agueroooo happened, I was running around my house screaming and crying at the same time!

George Sherwood currently living in Frisco, but originally from the Midwest. Spent almost 25 years flying in the Navy, so actually lived all over, but decided to settle in Texas after I retired.

Everyone has a personal reason why they choose to join up with an organization. Why did you choose to join BMD?

As my interest in Manchester City continued to grow, I was looking for a way to understand the Club better and hopefully be around like minded people. I have found both in BMD.

What is your experience with Manchester City that made you fall in love with the club?

For me from the start, it felt like a small club in a big league. Enjoyed watching them play and the more I learned about the Club, the more I knew that my decision was the right one.

If you had to pick just one player to call your favorite, who would it be and why?

For a current player it has to be Vincent Kompany. To me he is Manchester City. Although he is the Captain I also see him as the heart and soul of the team. We just don’t play as well when he is out. It has been an adventure for me to learn about the great city names of the past also.

Best City goal?

For me it has to be the goal Yaya scored against Norwich on a free kick in the 7-0 win on 2 November 2013. For me it is the best because I saw it in person from the first row down in the corner.

Have you seen City play in person?

Had the chance to see them demolish Norwich last November 7-0. What a great experience. Can’t wait to go back May for another match and see them at least twice on the US Tour this summer.

Where were you when Aguero scored?

Sitting at my house watching on TV. Looking forward to the match all week I was just thinking how lucky we are to have the last important match against QPR who were on the verge of being relegated. I couldn’t believe it when we fell behind and the time kept ticking away. Seeing Aguero score that goal as time was running out was pure joy!

As a member of BMD, how has your experience been so far?

It has been great, I really couldn’t ask for anything more. I get to watch City every weekend and spend a few hours with a group of people that I enjoy so much to be around. I can’t imagine any better supporters group.

Blue Moon Dallas watches matches at The Londoner Frisco. What are your thoughts on the pub?

I think the pub is great. I have enough experiences in bars to know that GM’s are going to come and go, but overall I am happy with the way we are treated and the majority of the stuff seems to go out of their way to make our group feel very welcome there. At points the Londoner staff almost feels like an extension of BMD.

Last Question. Most memorable game or moment with BMD?

Without a doubt it has to be the League Cup win this year. It was an incredible special day from the large group we had watching to the celebrations after the win. I felt so great that day to be a City Supporter and a member of BMD.